Hoi An’s floating lanterns shine as one of CNN's top global travel moments

Hoi An lights as captured by John S Lander is selected among best travel photos in 2017 by CNN.

The US news network has taken a shine to Vietnam's stunning tourist town this year.

CNN has released its top travel photos from the first six months of 2017, and colorful floating lanterns on a river in the ancient Vietnamese town of Hoi An are shining bright.

The American news site selected 57 vacation shots from around the world, and the mesmerizing world-renowned town claimed 10th position.

The Hoi An shot, credited to John S Lander, captures tourists in boats cruising among the lanterns along the Hoai River, set to a backdrop of ancient houses.

A bustling trade port between the 15th and 19th centuries, Hoi An now draws tourists to its picturesque wooden houses, pagodas, street-side eateries and hundreds of tailor shops.

“Hoi An boasts an eclectic mix of historical eastern and western buildings,” CNN said.

The town was selected by TripAdvisor travelers in March, and recently by New York-based Travel + Leisure’s readers, as one of the best destinations in the world.

According to TripAdvisor, the biggest highlight of the coastal town is the lantern festival held on the 14th day of each lunar month, when “the town trades its electric lights for traditional colored lanterns”.

Among the other travel moments published by CNN on Saturday were an aerial shot of umbrellas at a beach in Busan, fireworks exploding over a basin in Venice, skyscrapers in New York and a temple in Greece.